A man found to be more than four times the legal limit was convicted of drink driving after failing to appear in court.
Paul McDonagh (42), of Caladh Thaidhg, Carraroe, was convicted in his absence of drink driving after failing to appear at Galway District Court for his hearing this week.
At the same.heading he was also convicted of driving without insurance and failure to produce a certificate of insurance on demand.
Garda Christopher Dowry said that he was on duty on mobile patrol in Salthill on May 4, 2018 when he received a report of a blue Ford Focus driving carelessly from Carraroe towards Galway city.
At 3:45pm, in Barna, he observed the car mentioned in the report headed in the direction of the city with a man in a black suit driving.
As he turned the Garda patrol car to follow the other car took off at speed and made a sharp left turn towards Four Mile West Garda Dowry said.
He pursued, but lost the car for roughly ten minutes before spotting it pulled up to the side of the road at Four Mile West.
As Garda Dowry was speaking to the driver he said he got a smell of alcohol and that the driver, Mr McDonagh, was slurring his words.
He failed a roadside alcometer test and was subsequently arrested on suspicion of drink driving and brought to Salthill Garda Station.
A blood sample was taken there and sent to the medical bureau for analysis, and returned a reading of 226mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.
This is more than four and half times the legal limit of 50mg/100ml for a blood sample.
Garda Dowry gave MrMcDonagh ten days to produce evidence of insurance at a garda station of his choice, which he also failed to do.
Mr McDonagh’s solicitor John Martin said that his client has not been driving for the past year due to medical issues.
Judge Mary Fahy marked the conviction for drink driving, no insurance, and failure to produce, and adjourned sentencing to Derrynea District Court on March 12.
The judge also made an order for a bench warrant, not to issue before that date.
